minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison (D) Senator Dare. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) tried to put him in jail during an explosive exchange at a Senate hearing Thursday.
Ellison was one of several witnesses who appeared before the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Thursday, and Hawley focused his questions on fraud in Missouri. The series of inquiries led Hawley to flatly accuse Ellison of being a criminal, and both men called for the other to resign.
Hawley and Ellison overturned groups convicted of fraud in the state during the Covid-19 pandemic. The group, Feed Our Future, was found to have defrauded federal child nutrition programs of approximately $250 million.
Hawley brought up reports that Ellison’s campaign received $10,000 from the group and suggested that was a quid pro quo and that he should be prosecuted. Ellison has denied taking money directly from the organization to help with any investigation.
“This is my hearing, friend!” Hawley warned Ellison as he continued to deny the senator’s accusations.
“I’m not your friend. Don’t call me your friend!” Ellison shot back.
“Well, I should call you a ‘prisoner’ because you deserve to go to jail,” Hawley said, accusing Ellison of ignoring fraud charges against Feed Our Future.
“Well, look what you can do,” Ellison said defiantly.
“In 2019, whistleblowers came to your office with allegations of fraud on our futures, and you ignored them,” Hawley said. minnesota star tribune It is suggested that the whistleblower reported the fraud years before the organization was arrested.
“That’s a lie,” Ellison said, later adding, “They didn’t come to my office. You’re totally wrong. I didn’t take anyone’s money.”
The two continued to argue over whether reports of a $10,000 campaign donation were true until each side called for the other’s resignation.
“You were at the center of this fraud from the beginning and you contributed to it,” Hawley said. “Sir, you should resign.”
“Sir, you should resign,” Ellison responded. “I thought the same thing about you. I thought the same thing about you.”
Watch above via CSPAN.
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